Hyderabad:
22-year-old Latheef Vali had Rs 500 in his account when he went to an ATM on Friday night to withdraw money to buy a cake for his friend's birthday. He had just collected Rs 200 when he accidentally noticed that the lower half of the ATM counter was open and peeping from inside were wads of notes.
Latheef and his two friends, Hari Prasad and Shiva Durga Prasad, say their initial reaction was one of panic. Hari Prasad, also an unemployed engineering graduate like Latheef, says he thought some crime had just been committed and he needed to think calmly to inform the authorities and the police.
Shiva Durga Prasad says he had never seen so much money before and started gesturing at the CCTV camera, hoping someone was watching and he could catch their attention about the huge amount of money lying in the open.
An initial call to a manager's number turned out to be SBH Life Insurance. They then dialled 100 and the police arrived in less than 10 minutes.
Latheef says they thought they did just what was needed to be done. But the reactions were overwhelming.
"My parents took it quite light. But everyone else made quite a big deal about it and I felt real good," he says, smiling. "My father only asked, will you get a job?" he adds, smiling even more widely.
"My mother always complains that I don't listen to her. But I remembered what my mother always told me since childhood. That corrupt money or money that you get from someone will never stay with you. You must always earn your money the right way. That will stay with you," says Latheef, feeling quite proud of himself.
For Hari Prasad the happiest moment was his father being felicitated in his school for the honesty of his son. "My father is a teacher and everyone in his school appreciated him. He cried over the phone a short while ago, telling me this," says Hari Prasad.
The police and State Bank of Hyderabad have felicitated the young men with garlands, shawls and a token amount of money. Wonder if the two unemployed engineers and aspiring chartered accountant will land much-needed jobs thanks to their tale of honesty, even if their degrees did not help in the last one year.